


Not a Couple

by soprano193



Category: Rizzoli & Isles
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-04
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-06-06 07:53:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6745699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soprano193/pseuds/soprano193
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone else knows that Maura and Jane are a couple before they do.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Angela

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first foray into Rizzles fanfic, so please be gentle, and enjoy!

 

“Maura and I aren't a couple, Ma.”  Her daughter’s words swirled around in her head.  Angela had to fight not to laugh at the time, but now, in the comfort of her own bed, with the knowledge that everything between the girls was fine, she laughed.  Because it was a ridiculous notion stuck in the head of her eldest child.

They were more alike than either of them realized.  She’d always known, but it really struck her at the hospital, when Maura didn’t want any sort of affection.  As a mother, their reactions to what was supposed to be a comforting gesture made her heart break.  Sometimes all she wanted to do was wrap her kids in bubble wrap and remind them that it would all be okay, but two of her children faced danger every day and her psuedo-child provided a voice for murdered people, so she knew they knew otherwise.  Sometimes she was the one who really needed the hug, the assurance that their hearts were still beating and they were okay.  But Maura and Jane were never interested, either brushing it off with a polite, “please, no,” or running as fast as they could in the other direction.

They always found comfort in each other, though.  She had walked in on many a long hug, each of their eyes closed as they squeezed each other even tighter, their laughter bubbling to the surface as they pulled away.  Even before she moved in with Maura, she knew that’s where Jane went when she was the most distressed.  And on the very few nights she had to stay in the guest room instead of the guest house, she noticed the little breadcrumbs Jane left behind.  A few shirts hung up in the closet, or one of the few pairs of earrings she owned lying on the dresser from the last time they had to dress up for a case, or how the sheets and comforter were always tucked under the mattress instead of draped over it like Maura always did when she made the bed.

Neither of them liked to talk about their feelings either.  Maura would tense up, and start spewing gibberish that only she could understand whenever conversations made her uncomfortable.  Jane met discomfort with a hard mask, trying her hardest to appear tough and directing them to a different subject entirely.  But she figured they must talk to each other.  She’d be lying if she said she never noticed their hushed voices and wide eyes whenever she came through the front door, Jane always chewing on her lower lip as she waited impatiently for her mother to leave.  And although it hurt that her daughter wouldn’t talk to her about whatever she was struggling with, it helped knowing that she at least had someone she could talk to.

She’d thought back on her parenting style a lot through the years, and watching Jane’s budding relationship with Maura had only made her question things more.  Did she tell Jane enough growing up that she would always love her, no matter what?  That it didn’t matter who she loved as long as she was happy?  Maybe forcing her to go to Mass every week only made her feel like she had to live a certain way to please a higher power, and she could never be truly happy.

Of course, there were other reasons Jane might not have acted on her feelings toward Maura.  Maybe she wasn’t aware of them yet.  Or maybe she worried that Maura didn’t feel the same way.  Angela snorted at that thought.  There was no way that Maura didn’t feel the same.  When they were in a room together, the world got just a little bit brighter, and she could just feel the energy change in the room.  Those two were made for each other, meant to be in each other’s lives.  If only they would both use those big brains of theirs to do something about it, maybe they could both be happy for once.

It was usually at this point that Angela pushed her brain into other territories as she tried to drift off to sleep.  Wondering about her daughter and Maura only frustrated her, and would sometimes keep her up at night while she tried to think of creative ways to bring them together.  So instead, she played songs in her head, or went over her favorite memories, anything other than Jane or Maura, and let herself drift into sleep.

The next day she found Maura in the kitchen, dressed for work, a deep purple vest and a black pencil skirt.  But it was what was on her feet that had Angela’s heart racing as her motherly instincts set it.  “Maura, what are you wearing on your feet?”

The younger woman grimaced, holding out her bad leg to show off her pumps.  “Shoes.”

“Heels.  You still can’t walk without limping, but you’re wearing heels.”  Angela met her at the island.  “Take them off.”

The blonde set her jaw, lowering her leg and standing with her shoulders back.  “Well, these just happen to match my outfit perfectly.  I don’t have a pair of flats that match as well.”

The older woman laughed, moving around the stationary blonde to the cabinet, reaching for her coffee cup.  “I’ve seen your closets, missy, I don’t believe that for a second.”

Maura turned, her face fighting the grimace as the pain shot up her leg.  “I’m sorry you don’t believe me, but it’s true.”

“What’s true?”  The husky voice of her daughter floated from the front door, and Maura turned only her head to greet the woman.

“Look at Maura’s feet!”  It didn’t matter if it was juvenile, tattling on the blonde.  It didn’t even matter that Maura glared at her, honey colored eyes squinted as she bit the inside of her cheek.  If it got her to change, it was worth it.

Jane raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest.  “Maur, those are cute and all, but I don’t think you should be wearing them the day after I cut open your leg.”

“Please, I’m fine.”  Angela didn’t have to mention the splotchy patches of skin appearing on Maura’s neck.  The blonde did that herself as she brought her hands up to cover them.  “Okay, it’s a little painful.  But none of my flats match as well.”

Jane scoffed.  “Well one of them has to match enough!  Go upstairs and grab them.  I don’t want to see you in another pair of heels.”  When Maura refused to move, Jane’s voice became deeper, laced with more authority.  “If you don’t go find better shoes, Maur, I will hold you down and force you into the running shoes I have in my trunk.”

This threat was what made Maura move, her nose crinkled in disgust as she limped towards her stairs and out of earshot.  Angela reached for her daughter’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.  “Thank you.”

Jane reached behind her head, pulling down a mug and pouring herself a cup of coffee.  “No problem.  I knew that if she wore those, Frankie would have to carry her home by the end of the night.”

The image made Angela laugh, her eyes following her daughter as she made herself at home in the doctor’s living room.  “I don’t think he’d appreciate that again.”  Jane’s small smile told her that it was more than just being considerate of her brother.  She truly wanted her friend to be comfortable, and not suffer through the day.  And Angela watched as she looked toward the stairs, a hopeful look on her face as she waited for her friend to appear.  Angela grinned to herself, sitting next to her daughter and laying the groundwork for her master plan.  “So, did Michael Germano ever give you a call?”

The brunette turned her head, her eyebrows knit together in a puzzled expression.  “I’m sorry, who?”

“Oh, he’s a wonderful guy from Southie.  He works with animals or something.  His mother and I are good friends, and she mentioned that he’s single.”  She delighted in the grimace on her daughter’s face as she spoke, and fought hard to keep her own face blank.

“Ma, I don’t need you to set me up.”

“But Janie, I’m tired of waiting for grandchildren.  Don’t you think it’s almost time to start settling down, with a nice man and a few dogs, and maybe have a few children just to keep your old mother happy?”

“Gross Ma, stop.”

“And if you get the dogs at christmas time you could name them Nick and Noel.  Or Tinsel and Star.  And the kids could spend weekends with me while you and Michael work, maybe have a date night…”

“Ma!”  Jane shouted, pushing herself away from her mother.  “If I agree to go out with him, will you please stop talking?”

Angela fought to hide her triumphant grin.  “For now.”

“Good.”  With that, Jane rose, walking to the bottom of the stairs and shouting up.  “Maur, I need you to hurry.  Mom is trying to set me up with all of Southie.”

“I’m sure I can find a date for you too, Maura!”

At that, they heard her shuffling around upstairs, her limp making her leg fa;l harder as she travelled through the hallway and went as fast as she could down the stairs.  She offered Angela a polite smile.  “That won’t be necessary, but thank you for the offer.”  With that, they left, Jane practically dragging the medical examiner behind her as they rushed through the door.

Angela laughed to herself, the look of panic on both of their faces priceless.  She knew that she couldn’t force Maura to do anything she didn’t want to do.  But Jane, well she knew how to press all Jane’s buttons.  She knew how to get her to go out with a man she would never be interested in.  And maybe, if she set up enough bad dates, she could help Jane realize what she really wanted.  Maura.


	2. Cailin

“Your sister’s partner seems nice.”  Alex’s voice pulled Cailin out of her trance, making her brain stop it’s constant motion, reciting facts and anecdotes that may one day be useful in her own career.  “I mean, it seems like Jane helps her to loosen up, and makes her more fun.”

It was true.  With Jane’s encouragement, Maura had hosted a pizza party for some of Cailin’s closest friends, where they had yelled at the game and debated articles, all of them learning some interesting things from someone who was well established in the field.  And as the weeks passed, Maura had been more welcoming to Cailin’s friends, even agreeing to host their weekly study groups.  She wasn’t exactly looking forward to leaving her older sister’s house.  “Yeah, I think Jane just helps her to get her feet wet, after that she loosens up quite a bit.”

Her friend grinned, adjusting the strap of her bad so it rested higher on her shoulder.  “That’s sweet.  How long have they been together?”

Cailin’s eyebrows knit together in confusion, her eyes studying Alex’s face.  “Jane is a cop, her partner’s name is Frost.  Maura is a medical examiner.  They work together, but they aren’t partners.”

“Oh, I thought…”  Alex’s gaze fell as her cheeks reddened, her hand brushing hair out of her eyes, “never mind what I thought.  Jane seems cool, that’s all.”

Cailin offered her friend a reassuring smile.  “She is.”  It must have been an easy mistake to make.  They told stories about cases like they were partners, each jumping in to mention something the other forgot.  When they had funny stories to tell, their laughter fed off of one another, each trying not to set the other one off again before getting the rest of the story out.  “I think she’s coming over for dinner again tonight, Maura said something about catching up on Downton Abbey.”

“That sounds cool.”  She fell back at the entrance of the next building, her hands tightening around her book bag.  “Have fun!”

Cailin shrugged, her hands reaching into her pocket to find her headphones.  “I mean, I’ve never watched, but it’s better than hanging out in my empty house with my mother’s babysitter.”

“I still can’t believe that.”  Her friend laughed as she slowly sidestepped in the direction she had to go.  “So just send me the details about study group this week, and I’ll make sure I get there.”

“Will do, I just have to double check Maura’s schedule.”  She raised her hand in farewell, her headphones making their way into her ears, and turned to walk toward the subway station.

The ride to Maura’s house was never long, just long enough for Cailin to push her conversation with Alex from her mind and focus on reviewing the lectures she’d been in that day.  They played through her head like a movie, the more pertinent and new information she’d learned coming to her before anything else, and she made mental notes to look up further information later.

She used the key Maura had given her to let herself in, surprised to find her half-sister home already.  Maura was curled up on the couch, reading something on her iPad, her mouth pursed and eyebrows knotted together as she thought.  It was the same expression her mother made when she read something new in her field, so similar that it was eerie to watch.  So Cailin cleared her throat, alerting the older woman to her presence.

Her sister startled, dropping her iPad in her lap and looking toward the door.  “Cailin!  Sorry, I thought you’d be home later.”

“My last class of the day was cancelled.”  She explained, dropping her book bag in one of the dining room chairs and sinking down on the opposite side of the couch.  “How was your day?”

“Long.”  The iPad found it’s way to coffee table, and Maura folded up her legs to make more room for Cailin to get comfortable.  “I got a call at around four in the morning about a body dump.  And I’ve been reeling in a cranky and sleep-deprived Jane ever since.”

That made Cailin chuckle and relax, folding her own legs like her sister so she could face her better.  “That sounds like loads of fun.”  Maura rolled her eyes at that statement, letting out a long groan of frustration that had Cailin laughing audibly.  “So is Jane still coming over for dinner, or is she going home to sleep?”

“As far as I knew she was still coming.  She didn’t tell me anything otherwise.”

“Great.  I like Jane, she seems cool.”

At that, Maura smiled, one of the most genuine and warm smiles Cailin had seen on her face.  “She definitely makes life a little more interesting.”

“That’s always good.”  And then there was a lull.  It happened from time to time with them.  Which Cailin found completely frustrating.  Maura was her sister, and according to memes and stories on Facebook, they were supposed to just click.  And she knew that it had more to do with the fact that they didn’t grow up together.  That, added with the pressure she felt to connect after knowing that Maura gave up a kidney for her made things super awkward from time to time.  And in the quest to find something to talk about, Cailin blurted the first thing that came to her mind.  “Can I do some of my laundry here?”  At Maura’s raised eyebrow, she mentally kicked herself, but kept going, fiddling with her hands in her lap as she went.  “I mean, I would just do it at home, but my Mom comes back tomorrow, and she never has time to do any on her trips.  So between the two of us, it will just pile up and take forever, and I just want to stay out of her way.”

“Of course you can do laundry, that’s fine.  I guess I’m just a little lost on why you felt the need to ask.”

“I don’t know, I guess I just didn’t want to intrude.”  The excuse seemed dumb as she said it out loud, and she felt her cheeks begin to redden.

“Cailin, you aren’t intruding.  You are a guest in my house, and my family.  Please, if you need to do laundry, do it.”

Cailin breathed out a sigh of relief, letting the tension that had built up in her shoulders to dissipate.  “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”  With that, Maura rose from the couch and made her way toward the kitchen.  “I’m too exhausted to cook.  What do you feel like ordering?”

Cailin rose too, setting her sights on the stairs to the guest bedroom.  “I chose last night.  It's your turn.”  Because that was how sibling were supposed to decide things, right?

“I’m thinking Chinese.  Because I know what Jane likes.  And if I try to force her to eat the healthier stuff, she’ll raid the fridge.”

“Sounds good to me.  I like General Tso’s.”  She shouted over her shoulder as she made her way upstairs.

There wasn’t much she needed to clean, just the staples.  Her favorite pair of pajama pants were a must to clean, as well as her professional outfit for her internship.  A few shirts and pants, and she would be set at home while her Mom unpacked.  Anything else she had to do, she could do afterward.  As she leaned down to grab the pair of socks she knew she kicked under the bed the day before, her hand made contact with a pair of shoes that were too scuffed to belong to Maura.  It didn’t surprise her that much.  She knew that Jane left some clothes here.  The number of times she’d come over in her running gear and had to change for a case in a hurry had been too many to count.  But it had been strange to find it all in the guest bedroom.  In a weird way, Cailin felt more like she was intruding on Jane’s space than Maura’s over the past few weeks.

She carried all her laundry downstairs wrapped in her arms, struggling not to let her bra fall out on the floor.  At the basement door, she struggled with the handle, even using her chin to try and keep the clothes steady.  A shout from the island startled her as someone came running for the door.  “Wait, let me help you.”  Jane’s deeper voice was warm and filled with laughter as she helped Cailin, soft yet strong arms pulling her away and opening the basement door.

“If you’d like, there should be some empty baskets down there for when you’re all done.  If there aren’t let me know, and I’ll go steal them back from Angela.”  Maura’s voice called from the couch.

“Is my mother seriously hoarding your laundry baskets?”  That was the last thing Cailin heard as the door closed behind her.

When she got back upstairs, Maura was laughing, as Jane was telling some story about her brothers when they were younger.  “Ma made Frankie and Tommy take naps.  They were twelve and nine, but she made them take naps because of how ridiculous they were acting.”

“Did they listen?”  Maura asked, her eyes wide with rapt attention.

“I don’t know!  I didn’t need to nap because I was acting my age, so I went down the street to hang out with my friend Rachel instead.”

“I can’t believe she did that!”

Jane laughed, sitting in one of the chairs at the island.  “She told them if they couldn’t act their age, they would be treated like little kids.  They tried not to bicker about stupid things in front of her again.”

“Wait, I missed it,” Cailin interrupted, “what were they fighting about?”

Jane chuckled, turning to face the younger woman.  “Tommy thought Frankie stole a blanket from his bed.  He swore it was the comfiest blanket in the house, and that Frankie stole it.  And Frankie riled him up by refusing to give it to him, saying it was his turn.  Ma found the exact same blanket in the basement, told Frankie to give the other one back, and gave him the second one so they would stop.  Instead, Tommy gloated because he got his way, and Frankie whined because the blanket ‘wasn’t the same.’”  This had both Maura and Cailin giggling, and Cailin moved to one of Maura’s lounge chairs to continue listening.  “So Ma decided they were acting like toddlers and needed a nap.”

“Oh, that’s the worst.  When you think you’re all grown up and your parent tells you you’re acting like a child.”  She knew that feeling all too well, and had experienced it recently.  When her suspicions were confirmed about her new kidney, and she still had that unresolved and misplaced anger toward Maura.  She’d threatened to stop taking her immunosuppressants so her body would reject the kidney.  But her mother had yelled at her, calling it childish, and reminding her that this was a life-saving gift, not to be taken lightly.  And after getting to know Maura, and understanding that she wasn’t using her mother, just curious and unsure how to proceed, she felt guilty for being so angry in the first place.

“Oh, I agree.”  Maura spoke up, her smile warm.  “But almost worse is when a parent tells you that they are disappointed in you.  My father didn’t say it often, but when he did it stung.”

“Oh please,” Jane scoffed, “what could you have done that disappointed your father?”

“Well, my protest on that horse wasn’t his favorite thing that I’ve done.”  At that, Cailin perked up, using her eyes to silently beg for more information.  But Maura turned red, shaking her head.  “A story for another day, when I’ve had more wine, maybe.”

Then the doorbell rang, announcing the arrival of their food.  And soon they were sitting around the dining room table, spooning food onto their plates, the conversation easier than it was when it was just her and Maura.  And it was all Jane.  She seemed to know what to ask to get them both talking, telling stories with an ease that wasn't possible when they were alone.  It was like she understood their struggle to communicate naturally, and knew how frustrating it was, and then did something to improve both of their happiness.  More than ever, Cailin found herself grateful for Jane’s company.

After eating, Jane helped to clean while Maura queued up the remaining episodes of Downton Abbey they had to watch.  They each sat on the couch, a glass of wine in Maura’s hand and a beer in Jane’s, and began to watch.  I was clear that they were too tired to be serious, as Jane started repeating everyone, using a terrible British accent, and yelling about Violet actually being a cat every time she came on screen.  And Maura gave history lessons every time something historical came up.  How they managed to watch the show cohesively was a mystery.

But soon they quieted, as they grew more exhausted.  And soon, Maura was laying down, her head resting on the armrest and tucking her legs underneath her body.  “Maura, this was your idea.  Don’t fall asleep on me.”

“I won’t!  I’m just resting my head.”

Jane chuckled.  “That’s what I said last time, and you kicked me out.”

“That’s because you always fall asleep.  And you snore too loud for me to finish the episode.”

Jane gasped.  “You finish without me?  Traitor!”

Maura giggled, her hands coming up, clasped together, to rest just below her chin.  “Oh please, like you don’t do the same when we have movie nights.”

Jane sat back, her arms crossing.  “No comment.”

“That’s what I thought.”  Maura quipped, smirking from her position on the couch.

But as Jane predicted, Maura began to lose her battle with sleep as she lay there.  Cailin watched as her eyes would stay closed for longer and longer, her head lolling ever so slightly as consciousness slipped away from her.  And soon, she was the one sleeping on the couch, soft snores the only sound Cailin was paying attention to, the younger woman unsure of what to do.

“Don’t worry,” Jane whispered, seeing the worry on Cailin’s face, “I sleep on this couch all the time.  It’s actually really comfortable.”

“So I can just leave her here?  I don’t need to wake her?”

“Yeah, don’t wake her.  She always complains the next morning about her serrated rhythm being off or something.”  She glanced up on the clock on the wall, yawning and stretching herself.  “I should get going anyway.  We’ve had a long day.”

“Yeah, I heard.  I should move my laundry to the dryer so it’s ready in the morning.”

“Yeah, don’t forget about that.”  She laughed, standing and searching for her shoes.  But before slipping them on, she glanced back over to her sleeping friend.  She bit the inside of her cheek as she considered something, never voicing her thoughts out loud.  After a few moments, still barefoot, she dashed over to the hall closet, pulling something down from the top shelf.  When she turned back toward Cailin, she could tell it was a crocheted blanket, with dark browns and maybe some deep purples.  Jane came back to the couch and draped it over her friend, taking a few seconds to tuck a honey-blonde lock of hair behind Maura’s ear.  And that motion, that tender moment between the two women, brought Cailin’s conversation with Alex back to the forefront of her mind.  And she knew without a doubt what Alex meant when she referred to Jane as Maura’s partner.

Jane slipped on her shoes and grabbed her keys, heading toward the door.  “Goodnight, Cailin.  I’m sure I’ll see you around.”

“Drive safe.”  Was all she managed to get out, now that her mind was going back over the last three weeks, compiling all the evidence.  The secret glances between them, the ease in which they communicated with one another, the complete and utter lack of personal space.  She thought back to her brief conversation that day with Maura, remembering the genuine smile that stretched across her half-sister’s face as she thought about Jane.  It was all clear to see.  Maura was in love with Jane.

And she knew one more thing.  She had to keep coming around to see how it all turned out.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Frost:**

The first time he met Jane Rizzoli, he threw up all over her shoes.  Which of course, was nothing like the introduction he had planned.  As he coughed, the blood rushing to his cheeks, the older Detective that had already been on the scene snickered in the background.  Meanwhile, Jane looked down at her feet, her mouth opened in shock and anger.  When she finally spoke, her voice had an unexpected grit to it.  “Korsak, who the hell is this guy, and please tell me he hasn't contaminated our crime scene.”

“No, I didn't, I made it out here in time.”  He straightened up, meeting her eye for the first time, suppressing the urge to wipe his mouth on his sleeve.  “I'm Detective Barry Frost, your new partner.  Cavanaugh told me he’d catch you up.”

“Yeah, well Cavanaugh is away on a family emergency.”  Her eyes fell back down to her shoes.  “And now I can’t walk into my crime scene.”  She stomped, cursing under her breath as her eyes searched the room he’d exited.  “Korsak, I can't go in.”

The older man, Korsak, chuckled, ducking back into the room.  “That's too bad.  It's nasty.”  At his words, Frost’s stomach turned again, despite the fact that he had no lunch left to lose.  He concentrated on keeping it down while listening to the frustrated grunts of his new partner.

Before he could speak, to apologize or anything to lighten the mood, a blonde woman walked in, dressed like she’d just come from a date.  “Jane!  What on earth are you doing out here?”  His partner rolled her eyes, gesturing to her shoes.  The woman stopped, a hint of a grimace washing over her face.  “Well, that’s unfortunate.”  She looked then at the only person in the room, him, her eyes kinder than Jane’s.  “I would guess that you aren't accustomed to a decomposing body?”

“No, ma'am.  I’m not sure how anyone can get used to something like that.”

“Well, not every person takes to it as easily as others.”  Her hazel eyes drifted between him and Jane, her eyebrows knotting together with confusion. “I'm sorry, did you find the victim, or…”

Jane spoke up, her voice dripping with sarcasm.  “Oh, I'm sorry, did I forget my manners?”  The blonde stifled a giggle, shooting him an apologetic look as Jane pointed between them.  “Maura, this is Frost, my new partner.  Frost, this is Dr. Maura Isles, the medical examiner.”

Dr. Isles reached a hand out to him, her smile kind.  “It’s nice to meet you.  Although I hope next time it will be a bit more pleasant.”

“Yeah, me too.”  He didn’t want to make this a habit.  Surely it would be something he’d get used to.

The Doctor turned to address her friend.  “Jane, I have a pair of  _ Louboutins _ in my trunk if you need something to wear.”

His partner squinted her eyes, leaning toward her friend.  “Am I walking a runway, or working a crime scene?”

Dr. Isles laughed, shifting her medical bag from one hand to the other.  “Well, if you don’t wear my shoes, the answer is neither.”

Sure, Jane complained the whole time about how impractical the shoes were, but she wore them into that crime scene.

His first few weeks working with Jane taught him a lot about her.  First, she worked her ass off.  He often came into work to find her already chasing down a lead, and left long before she was ready to turn in the towel.  Her dedication made him work harder, so he’d never pale in comparison next to her.  Second, she was fiercely devoted to her family.  He watched her ride Frankie hard during cases, the man always limping away with his tail between his legs.  But her face when he succeeded was nothing but unwavering pride.  It was great after cases though, to see her relax.  He joined her at the bar every once in a while, and they swapped their craziest police stories.  They also discussed their lives, their families and values, and gave suggestions about television shows and books that weren’t related to police work.  Jane never brought up her dating life, and he never pushed.  He would have been lying if he said there wasn’t an attraction, but after Anna, he learned it was never a good idea to mix business with pleasure.

Out of everything he learned about his partner, Jane’s compassion surprised him the most.  Not with the victim’s family, of course, she was always gentle with them.  Her relationship with Korsak was interesting, each of them throwing zingers at each other rather than dealing with their feelings.  He only saw her soften around Maura, who sometimes seemed out of place in their group.  But when he saw Jane’s compassion firsthand, he understood that it tended to happen more behind closed doors.

After four months working homicide, he still didn't have the stomach for it.  The smell of rotting flesh made his head swim, the gore and bugs made his stomach turn, and it wasn't getting better with time.  He’d started working on paperwork to transfer, the thought of his big break failing making his heart sink.  He never told his partner, and worked on the paperwork in private, trying to decide what his next step should be.

His secret came out the day he had to pick Jane up, her car in the shop for an oil change.  The paperwork fell out of the files she had to move from his front seat.  And when she held it up and stared him down with her dark eyes, he knew he owed it to her to be honest.  “I’m no good.  I haven’t seen a crime scene yet that I haven’t lost my lunch at.  I’m always afraid of contaminating evidence.  And then I have you as a partner, this Supercop, who never tires, doesn’t hurl, and always fights for the truth.  You deserve someone better than me.”

Jane blinked at him, her mouth open as she tried to figure out what to say.  And he didn’t miss the flicker of amusement in her eyes when she finally settled on, “Well that’s a load of bull shit.”  As she spoke, he relaxed, letting out a chuckle at her words.  “Who in the world gave you that idea?”

“Me.”  And everyone else.  All the officers who snickered as he turned green.  Korsak, Frankie, and their zings at his expense.  All of that seeping into his subconscious to remind him that he was horrible.

Jane snickered, her smile growing softer.  “Well ignore that little voice.  Did anyone ever tell you about Sergeant-Detective Cummings?”  At his quizzical look, she continued.  “Cummings is the man who trained Korsak.  He was a lot like you, really squeamish.  He used to send Korsak into scenes and ask him to take even more pictures.  And I’ll tell you, that man could solve more murders from photographs that he ever could from examining the body.”  She paused, looking away and laughing.  “I think by the time I showed up, he had stopped examining the bodies all together.”

Frost laughed, leaning back, feeling more relaxed than he had in ages.  “I didn’t think that was an option.”

“Yeah, neither did I.”  Her eyes fell down on the paperwork in front of her.  “My point is, you’re here for a reason.  Someone thought you were the best for the job.  Don’t let your queasiness get in your way.”

He let her words settle between them, their warmth comforting him.  “Thanks.”

“Anytime.”  She held out the paperwork.  “Now, are you gonna do the honors, or should I?”

With a chuckle and a grin, he took the papers in both of his hands, delighting in the deafening rip as he destroyed them.  With each shred, the thought of remaining in Homicide rested in his stomach, and filled him with a sense of hope.

Jane had Korsak pull back on his teasing of the queasy detective, and threatened the unis with grunt work, so gradually, Frost felt a bit more welcome.  He made it a game, to try and get to the station before his partner, to show that he was just as dedicated, and he even managed to go down to the morgue a few times without making a mess.  He just couldn’t get anywhere near the table where Dr. Isles cut into her patients.  After a few more weeks, the feelings of inadequacy disappeared.

He was trying to crack a cell phone one day when Jane’s phone rang.  She didn’t even look at the name, just held it to her ear and barked “Rizzoli” into the speaker.  With the fall of her shoulders and the roll of her eyes, Frost knew it could only be one person.  “Ma, my badge is not a toy.  I can’t flash it every time someone upsets you!”  He chuckled to himself, shooting Korsak a look as they listened in.  “Well then, you’ll just have to pay full price!  How much coffee are you getting anyway?  It’s not gonna save you that much!”  Her mouth dropped open in alarm.  “What on earth do you need all that for?  Wait, nevermind, I don’t think I want to know.  You know, you do have two kids you can bug with this stuff, why do you always call me?”  She paused, shooting glares in his and Korsak’s direction.  “Hmm, I wonder why Frankie would do such a thing?”  Her voice was laced with sarcasm, making Korsak chuckle.  “Ma, I’m in the middle of a case.  I have to go.  I’ll see you tonight.”  After hanging up, she glared at them, her arms crossed.  “Don’t you two have something better to do than eavesdrop?”

“You took the call in a public place, Jane.  What did you expect?”  Korsak laughed, taking a sip of his coffee.

“Yeah, I’m still trying to get into Johnson’s pictures.  Where else would you like me to work on that?”  Frost eyed her with determination, not backing down when she narrowed her eyes at him.

“I mean, it not like you guys haven’t heard this before.  But your snickering in the background is distracting.”

Korsak gave out a snicker in response, returning to the paperwork in front of him.  As Frost tried to gain access a different way, he spoke, never raising his eyes from the screen.  “Okay.  Next time we’ll work a little harder to suppress them.”

Jane moved from sitting on top of the desk to her chair, her notes spread out all around her.  “Yeah, could you get on that, please?”  It wasn’t long before he phone began to ring again.  And just like before, she answered without looking at the name.  “Ma, I swear, if you call me again, I will block your number like Frankie did.”  But after a few seconds, she softened, her shoulders falling.  “Yeah, Maura, Frankie blocked Mom so now she’s harassing me.  Are you okay?”  Her eyebrows drew together in concern as her friend spoke, her free hand twisting her curls around her finger.  “Maur, calm down.  Are you downstairs?”  The pause was brief as she grabbed her keys.  “I’ll be right down.”  She hung up the phone, and stood quickly, knocking her chair back against the desk behind her.  “I’m taking an early lunch.  Maura’s having a tough time and needs some moral support.”

Frost nodded, gesturing at the computer in front of him.  “I could be at this all day.”

“Okay.”  She rushed toward the elevator.  “I’ll be back.”

At his desk, Frost chuckled, thinking about all the times she’s rushed off to be a shoulder for her friend to cry on.  It was interesting to him, how she never denied Maura that relationship when she needed it, making Maura the one person in the world she would choose over anything else.  His mind drifted to their nights at the bar, and those occasions when the doctor would join them.  The two women had a close friendship, almost all illusions of boundaries gone between them.  When one told a story, the other listened with rapt attention.  They each cared about the other’s well being, Jane helping Maura with her social awkwardness and Maura helping Jane make healthier choices.  And because they almost always sat next to each other, he saw what they couldn’t.  He saw the way they looked at each other when the other one was too busy to notice.  He saw how Jane lit up with admiration when Maura talked about running the marathon for a charity.  He saw how Maura’s eyes traced Jane’s face while she was watching the game, her joy coming not from the score, but the look on Jane’s face when Boston scored.  And after particularly difficult cases, he watched how they touched each other, finding comfort in the little gestures.  A squeeze of a hand or shoulder.  A hand rubbing a back.  A shoulder to lay a head on.  They were almost like a couple.

With that realization, his eyes widened.  He looked to the older Detective, trying to figure out how best to phrase his question.  “So, Dr. Isles and Jane…”  He let the question trail off.

Korsak only chuckled.  “It took you long enough.”

“Do they know?”

Korsak shook his head.  “Jane was brought up Catholic.  So even though I’m sure her Mother wouldn’t mind, it might take her some time to realize it’s okay.  And even longer for her to act on it.  She’s kind of stubborn.”

Frost nodded, taking it all in.  “Right.  And Maura?”

Korsak’s shoulders heaved up and down.  “Who knows.  She’s probably the smartest person I know, but she can’t always see what’s right in front of her.”

“Have you tried to mention it to either of them?”

Again, Korsak shook his head.  “You see, this is where it gets tricky.  If I mention it to Jane, she’ll deny it, and she won’t budge just to prove a point.  And if I say something to Maura, she’ll over analyze until she pushes Jane away.  I think they need to figure it out by themselves.”

Frost chuckled, typing in the access code that finally let him see their victim’s photos.  “How long is that gonna take?”

Korsak laughed, opening a drawer and pulling out a pad of paper.  “Well, Cummings thought it was gonna happen two years ago.  Krane thinks it will just be another few months.  Whaland thinks two years from now at Christmas.  And Cavanaugh thought it would never happen.  I give it another five years.”

“That’s a long time.”

“They’re stubborn women.”

Frost got up from his desk to go look at Korsak’s list.  It was long, almost filling up the entire page of the legal pad.  The dates were crossed off with newer, later dates written in next to them as they readjusted their guesses.  Some names were crossed off, like they just gave up.  “I want in on whatever this is.”

Korsak chuckled, writing ‘Barry Frost’ on the next line.  “It’s twenty dollars, and five dollars extra if you want to change your date.”

“Got it.  I’ll bring you the money after lunch.”

“And when do you think they’ll act on it?”

He paused, thinking about what he had seen and everything Korsak had said.  He had known them longer, after all.  “I’m thinking about two months after you retire.”

That made Korsak laugh, but he wrote it in.  “Why that date?”

Frost grinned as he walked back to his desk.  “Because, right now, this is the status quo for them.  But big changes, that’s when their bond will be tested.  You retiring is the biggest change I can think of.”

Korsak took his response in.  “Fair enough.”  He nodded once, putting the notebook back like it had never been out in the first place.  “Now, leave me alone while I fill out this report, why don’t you?”

“If I remember correctly, you’re the one who brought up the gambling in the first place.”  At Korsak’s chuckle, they both returned to their work, ignoring one another, and pretending their conversation never happened.


End file.
